Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Pinot Noir, Western Cape

A rare grape in South Africa, but one that does well when grown in cooler vineyard sites. The grapes for this quite full-flavoured example are grown in vineyards close to the Atlantic Ocean and benefit from the influence of cool on-shore breezes. Partially barrel-fermented the wine is aged for a year in French oak. It shows intense, tangy currant and minerally fruit flavours, backed by well-integrated, elegant yet quite firm tannins.

About the wine maker

At Kleine Zalze, the winemaking team believe that the key to selling wine in the on-trade is to understand how the wine must behave on the restaurant floor. Owning their own hotel and restaurant gives them plenty of opportunity to practise. In fact, Kleine Zalze takes great pride in the fact that they can stand alongside Matthew Clark customers in the UK and identify with them in the trials and tribulations of running a hotel and restaurant.

Terroir, their restaurant, has previously won the coveted Eat Out Service Award (considered the Oscars of the SA restaurant awards), and regularly appears in lists of the top ten restaurant in South Africa.

Alastair Rimmer joined the winemaking team in 2014 as Cellarmaster. He has previously worked both in big commercial wineries as well as super-premium boutique producers. His winemaking skills have taken him around the world, making wines in Marlborough, New Zealand; Jumilla, Spain and San Joaquin in California.

Alastair believes that, ‘Balance is the single most important factor in winemaking. Popular wine styles in the modern wine world are forever changing, but balance never goes out of fashion.’ A big fan of the diversity that terroir affords the winemaker, his focus is keenly attuned to the various styles of wine that work in various international markets, as well as reflecting the unique, intrinsic terroir of the wines he produces.

Ethical production

Kleine Zalze complies with the internationally recognised Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) scheme. The scheme certifies that their grapes and wine are produced according to environmentally sustainable production methods. Compliance with the IPW guidelines assures the buyer and consumer that the production process is environmentally sustainable and that the minimum food safety requirements have been met.

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